It is necessary that the tension be maintained constant when feeding elastomeric yarns to a circular hosiery knitting machine during the knitting of panty hose and the like and wherein at least portions of the panty hose have elastomeric yarns incorporated therein. In this type of machine, it is the usual practice to pass the elastomeric yarn through a manually adjustable tensioning device positioned in the path of travel of the yarn from the yarn supply to the yarn feed finger and the needles of the knitting machine. With the machine running, the operator checks the tension in the yarn by the use of a portable tensiometer and adjusts the manually controlled tension device until the yarn is running at the proper tension.
In accordance with this conventional practice, the operator periodically checks the tension in the yarn with the portable tensiometer to determine if the elastomeric yarn is still being fed at the proper tension. If changes in the tension have taken place, the operator again adjusts the manual tension device so that the yarn runs at the proper tension. Since the periods between times when the tension is checked may be rather long, the tension in the elastomeric yarn may change and the machine may produce a large quantity of panty hose with the elastomeric yarn incorporated therein at a tension which is either greater or lesser than the desired tension so that the panty hose produced during that period of time are not usable.
The tension indicator disclosed in our above-noted copending application operates to continuously monitor elastomeric yarn as it is being fed to a circular hosiery knitting machine. However, in the tension indicator of our copending application, the pointer lever is supported in a substantially vertical position and is provided with a yarn guide at the lower end with the yarn changing direction two times during a substantially Z-shaped path of travel. When a yarn passes through a yarn guide and the direction of travel is reversed, the tension on the yarn is increased by a greater amount than is the case if only a slight change of direction occurs when the yarn passes through a yarn guide.